New York announces $35.7 million project to fight flooding in Harlem

New York — Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Central Park Conservancy President and CEO Betsy Smith announced the groundbreaking of the North End Recirculation Project, a $35.7 million investment to reduce flooding in Harlem and East Harlem and conserve the city’s drinking water.

The initiative will modernize stormwater management at the north end of Central Park to keep the park’s combined sewer system and those of nearby neighborhoods from being overwhelmed during heavy rains. It will also allow water to be recirculated in three of the park’s water bodies — the Pool, the Lake and Harlem Meer — reducing reliance on the city’s drinking water supply to replenish them. Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2028.

“Protecting New Yorkers from the growing threats of extreme weather requires smart, forward-looking investments,” Hochul said when announcing the project. The governor added that the work will help protect Harlem and East Harlem from flooding, conserve drinking water and preserve Central Park’s landscapes.

The project is funded with state, city and private money: more than $19.6 million in city capital funds, a $10 million state grant for green resilience, $2 million from City Council Speaker Julie Menin, $500,000 from Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, $100,000 from Council Member Gale Brewer and $3.5 million from Central Park Conservancy donors.

The announcement comes in a week when U.S. coasts are recording record-high tides, a reminder of the growing pressure extreme weather puts on urban infrastructure. For residents of Harlem and East Harlem, two communities with a strong Dominican and Latino presence, the project promises relief from a recurring problem every time heavy rain falls on northern Manhattan.

Photo: Quadratín Hispano

Source: Quadratín Hispano